On Dec. 1, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which threatens the future of Roe v. Wade. The case deals with the constitutionality of a 2018 Mississippi state law that banned nearly all abortions after the first 15 weeks of pregnancy. If the Supreme Court overturns or restricts the ability to get a previability abortion, the consequences will be devastating for women. And it would be particularly devastating to the constitutional rights, economic outcomes, educational futures and health of women of color and economically disadvantaged women.
Roe v. Wade has enabled women to pursue educational and economic opportunities once unavailable to them. Abortion access has increased women’s participation in the workforce overall, increasing participation by 6.9 percentage points for Black women and 2 percentage points for all women. Moreover, abortion legalization has increased women’s education, occupational prestige and earnings. Overturning Roe would undermine the tremendous progress we have made in the last 50 years.
Bans and stricter restrictions on abortion will hurt working-class and low-income women the most. The majority of abortion patients in the U.S. identify as either poor or low-income. In 2014, approximately 75% of abortion patients were poor (income below the federal poverty level of $15,730 for a family of two) or low-income (income of 100% to 199% of the federal poverty level). Women living in states that ban abortion services would need to travel to another state for care. But the women most likely to seek these services are also less likely to have the financial means necessary to travel to states with freer access. Economists estimate that approximately one-third of women living in regions that ban abortions — 100,000 women in the first year alone — would be unable to reach an abortion provider.
Without access to comprehensive reproductive health care, these patients will face even more economic hardship. Women denied an abortion are four times more likely to live in poverty than women who can access care. And public assistance programs fail to make up for the cost of a new baby and fail to pull households out of poverty. Women who are forced to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term are more likely to experience eviction, bankruptcy and higher degrees of debt. Women must have the power to determine what is best for themselves and their financial situations, especially because public assistance funding falls short of meeting their needs.
Women of color will be particularly affected if Roe v. Wade is overturned. Women of color are more likely to live in states with the most restrictive abortion laws. This means they are at greatest risk of needing to travel for abortion services, an option that would be financially infeasible for many. Women of color are also more likely to experience discrimination in the health care system and to lack health insurance coverage or the financial ability to pay for out-of-pocket care. These factors make women of color more likely to have unintended pregnancies and more likely to suffer financially if abortion care is not available. Overturning Roe v. Wade would further limit access to safe and legal abortions for women of color, exacerbating long-standing racial and reproductive health inequities.
The YWCA is a trusted resource for some of the most vulnerable communities in the country. Here in Illinois, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago delivers important services, including family support services, sexual violence support services and economic empowerment services. We serve the people and communities that will be the most harmed if the Supreme Court revokes the right to a previability abortion. And we know that preserving Roe v. Wade is a critical way to ensure that women can secure the blessings of liberty so central to the U.S. Constitution.
Every person has the constitutional right to make decisions regarding their reproductive health. YWCA Metropolitan Chicago urges the U.S. Supreme Court justices to consider the negative implications of banning abortions and the effects it will have on households and the economy. And we urge Congress to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, solidifying the right to access abortion services free from burdensome and often medically unnecessary restrictions. This bill will also protect providers, ensuring everyone has continued access to safe abortion care.
We cannot let the Supreme Court take away women’s freedom to make deeply personal decisions about their lives and futures.
Katelyn Jones is the vice president of policy, research and evaluation at YWCA Metropolitan Chicago.
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